MAN OF THE WEST is being released on DVD by MGM/UA (through Fox) on May 13, 2008. This is the official, proper release, not some third-rate knock-off like the one advertised on another thread on this site. It's coming out in tandem with some other westerns owned by MGM/UA, including THE WESTERNER, THE GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY, DAY OF THE OUTLAW and MAN WITH THE GUN.
shareJust got around to watching my copy, which arrived back in May. It's riveting. Coop's anguish over the brutality he could not stop and the promises he could not keep is very real.
I am disappointed that there are no special features on the DVD, not even a trailer.
I agree, about the movie and the DVD. But the studios prefer to put out a lot of these older films in bare-bones editions rather than take the time to do a better job. Still, having the film itself is the most important thing.
shareComing this Nov from Kino Lorber. Other than a trailer and booklet, no great extras.
http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=14544
Hopefully Kino will get a nice source print to transfer.
Thanks for the news. This hasn't been generally announced yet. KL has been busily releasing the old MGM titles it now controls on new DVDs and first-time Blu. They should be releasing other titles on November 4 besides.
Some people say they use the same prints MGM used for their transfers. I don't know whether this is true or not but as far as extras go, even a booklet would be more than you got with the MGM discs. But the synopsis on the link you provided not only debatably calls this film Cooper's "last great role" but after correctly stating it's a 1958 film later on says the film wasn't well received when it was released in 1954. So some information may be suspect.
I didn't even catch the year error there. Perhaps they were thinking of Mann's The Far Country when they made the goof. Still, looking forward to seeing this is in hidef.
Kino's also releasing a couple of 80s movies this fall: Desperately Seeking Susan and Married to the Mob. I've mentioned this before, but it's great to have distribs like KL, Olive Films, Shout Factory, Twilight Time, etc licencing these 'unpopular' titles from the studios.
My list of movies not available on blu is getting shorter thanks to these guys.
Couldn't agree with you more about having distributors like the ones you mentioned releasing classic films the studios themselves no longer will. MGM even gave up its MOD series (all UA films), which had turned up some good titles. Warner is also pretty good, and Fox is getting better again.
My only quibble is that too often they're releasing films already put out previously. I don't mind adding Blu-rays but it would be nice if they'd issue some fresh titles never yet released. Warner, Kino and to an extent even Shout are reissuing older titles now OOP but as yet little or nothing completely new to DVD.
I doubt they were thinking of The Far Country when they made that goof. It was probably just the result of carelessness. Anyway, The Far Country was released in 1955, not '54.